Snow shoe harness



Allg- 2, 1960 w. GABRY 2,947,094

sNow SHOE HARNESS Filed May 4, 1959 M n l 32V 2,947,094 .p BfentediAugf.-1.959

l Gabry, Birch Island, Brifishfcolumbia, Canada tFiled May 4, 1959SerrNo. 810,682 reclaim. `(ci. 3644.5)

: My Y invention Vrelates i to new and Vruseful Y.improvements yin snowshoe harness, the:principalobject and'essence of my'invention being toprovide a-device ofthe character herewithin described wherebythe-fsriowfshoe canr'eadily be attached or detached to the boot of thewearer and, yet which is adapted topreventffslipping occurringparticularly when used on steep trails.

c A further object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter .herewithin described in which the objectionable strapfasteners over the toe of the wearer are eliminated, thus making theWearing of the snow shoe much more comfortable.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which permits the snow shoe to be lifted by theankle when being operated, thus relieving the wearer of considerablestrain which is encountered with conventional snow shoe harness inasmuchas the toes have to do the majority of the lifting in these instances.l

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which merely requlres the undoing of onebuckle and a kick forward by the wearer in order to remove they snowshoes from the boots.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is simple in construction,economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose forwhich it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects' andadvantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention relates as this specification proceeds, my inventionconsists essentially in the arrangement `and construction of parts allas hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a snow shoe showing the soleplate portion of my device in situ.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing a portion of a boot with a portionof the sole plate shown engageable with one embodiment of the heel clipcomponent.

Figure 3 is an underside view of the heel of a boot showing oneembodiment of a heel clip component.

Figure 4 is an underside view of a heel of a boot showing an alternativeembodiment of a heel clip component.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an underside view of yet another alternative embodiment ofthe heel clip component.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of Figure 6, but shown in position aroundthe heel of a boot.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different gures.

Conventional snow shoe harnesses usually comprise a plurality of strapsand buckles or the like riveted together and tying over the toes of theboot. 'In this 70 connection a material known as lamp wick is popularlyused as it is soft. However, the conventional harness able discomfortdue to cold feet. v system of strapsis somewhat diiicultto remove,particularly with heavy gloves-being worn.

vcausesfseverecrampingzof `the toes ask the toes are used `:to'liftthelsnowfshoe when in action, and this `causes a constricting."` of thecirculation thus leading toconsider- Furthermore, such a `Myharness=overcomesthese disadvantages by theprovisionwomeans whereby theonlyvstrap -required passes aroundE the-l ankleof-zthefboot and this,.in conjunction `with thefnovelfhook meansadjacentrthe underside ofthehel, `ipermitsthe--anglelto be used in thelifting-ofthe snow 1shoe:in.`action, thus leavingthetoes ee Within the boot 'andfleading :to fajmuchless exhausting motion.

Proceedingtherefore tolldescribemy inventionin de- '.tail,--referencelshouldifrst bemade to Figures 1 `an`d`,2

of the accompanying drawings. -*In Figure 1. I.show,a

stop plan view of afportion of ,a snow shoe LWhich` in- "cludes@theeouter i-perimetrical frame f2 and -cross bars` 3. .Arsolegplate-tpreferably formed from -ilexible material Viis;substantially;.yo1ge.shaped Vwhen-viewed in, plan, n(and is providedwith a pair of leather laces` 5 secured to adjacent the front edge 6 ofthe sole plate. These laces are adapted to be tied around one of thecross` members 3 and knotted thereto, but in Figure 1 the laces areshown untied but with the sole plate in the desired relationship withthe snow shoe.

A leather strap 7 is engaged through slots 8 just behind the front edge6 of the sole plate and extend outwardly as shown, said straps beingadapted to be crossed over the instep of the associated boot (notillustrated) and then taken around the ankle to be secured by the buckle9 provided on one end of the strap.

This secures the snow shoe to the boot, but in order to permit the liftto be developed by the ankle and conveyed to the snow shoe, furthermeans are required.

Secured to the sole plate 4 and centrally located thereon, is a metalstrip 10 which extends rearwardly beyond the rear edge 11 of the soleplate. This strip is provvided with a down-turned resilient hook 1=2 onthe distal end 13 thereof. This hook is adapted to engage within a heelclip component collectively designated 14 of which I have providedseveral embodiments, but in all of these embodiments the action issimilar to that shown in Figure 2 in which it will be noted that thehook 12 springs into engagement over a clip secured to the heel 15 ofthe associated boot 16.

Figure 3 shows the rst embodiment of this heel clip component whichincludes an apertured clip 17, the front portion 18 of which is' spacedfrom lthe attaching lugs 19. Screws 20 pass through lugs 19 and engagewithin the heel 15 of the boot so that the clip is secured to the frontvertical Wall 21 of the heel and extends forwardly therefrom so that itcan be engaged by the hook 12.

Figures 4 and 5 show an alternative embodiment of the heel clipcomponent 14 which includes a heel plate 212 shaped to suit theperimeter of the heel and secured to the under `surface 23 of the heelby means of screws 24. At the front end of this plate, an upwardlyangulated portion 2S is formed resting against the afore-mentioned innerfront Wall 21 of the heel and upon the upper end 22 of this verticalportion 25 I provide a clip 26, similar in conguration to the clip 17hereinbefore described. The engagement of the clip by the hook 12 issimilar in this embodiment to that described for Figure 3.

Figures 6 and 7 show still another embodiment of the heel clip component14 and in this instance a perimetrical wall clamp 27 is adapted to beengaged around the vertical wall 28 of the heel and to be securedthereon by means of nut and bolt 29 engaging through lugs 30 on theclamp.

In order to ensure that the clamp remains in position,

I provide inwardly projecting prongs oribarbs 31 which In operation, thesole plate 4 is secured to the snow I shoe by means of laces 5 and thedesired embodiment of the heel clip component is secured to the heels ofthe boots and remain thereon. The wearer engages the clip of the heelclip component under the hook 12 and then fastens the -boot to the snowshoe by means of strap 7.

In order to remove the snow shoe, it is merelyA necessary to undo strap7 and kick the` foot forwardly which disengages the hook 14 from theheel clip component.

Finally, although the above invention has been specifically describedfor use upon snow shoes, nevertheless it will be appreciated =that, itcan, if desired, be used with equal eiciency' upon skis.

Since various modiications can be made in my invention as hereinabovedescribed, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same madewithin the spirit and scope of the claim without departing from suchspirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in theaccompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only andnot in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

A sole plate and heel clip component combination for fastening snowshoes to the associated boots of the wearer, said sole plate beingdetachably securable via the front thereof to said snow shoe, strapsassociated with said sole plate adapted to engage around said boot, saidheel clip component including means' to detachably secure same to theheel of said boot, hook means on said sole plate, and means on said heelclip component adapted to be selectively engageable by said hook means,said sole plate including a-strip secured to and extending rearwardlyfrom said sole plate, said hook means including a resilient down-turnedhook portion formed on the distal end of said stn'p, said heel clipcomponent including a clamp secured around the Wall of the heel of theassociated boot, said `clip extending forwardly therefrom, and aplurality of barbs projecting lat right angles from the inner surface ofsaid component and adapted to engage in said wall of said heel.

No' references cited.

